Winter Comfort
- Mel's Marvellous Cakes
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
I’ve been feeling very ill in this grey, cold weather. Since coming away from the bright sun of Australia, it’s been difficult to manage mood and motivation. In my last blog, I did my best to awaken the joy with vintage Christmas suggestions. These tips will go really well with my suggestions in this blog as I’m sure many of you are feeling the same as me. Therefore, without delay, here are my tips for bringing the joy back into this time of year:
Light up your Sight
First of all, we need as much light as possible to keep us feeling joyful so put those Christmas lights up. Mine were up in the middle of November and I feel no shame! Adorn your tables with fairy lights and candles with sparkly cocktail glasses to catch and reflect as much light as possible. You will start to feel as though you are cozy rather than cold. I love the Scandinavian concept of Hygge (pronounced ‘hue-gar) described as cosiness and comfortable conviviality. I’ve incorporated this into my afternoon teas with all the senses.
Hygge and Touch
Using cushions and blankets at the table as well as the candlelight makes you want to plan get togethers with friends. You can pack as many people in as possible if it means keeping each other warm. Even sitting outside soaking up the limited daylight can help this sense of wellbeing. I really don’t mind eating outside in the cold weather if I can add a chiminea or a garden heater. It’s actually quite beautiful to sit next to the firelight with your hands around a hot drink watching your icy breath wander across the garden. Being outside as much as possible is important for mental health and our ability to adapt to the cold. Just make sure you wrap up warm and choose hot food for your tea table.
Tastebud Treats
As you know, I’m a champion for the warm scone. It’s such a comfort to smother a warm scone in clotted cream and homemade strawberry and rhubarb jam. I use frozen strawberries at this time of year but there’s still a lot of fruit around this year after a bumper autumn harvest. I’ve frozen lots of my foraged fruit such as elderberries, rhubarb and crab apples. They last for 3 months in the freezer and an elderberry upside down cake looks beautiful and goes wonderfully with a chai latte. You can even add a homemade hazelnut or cinnamon syrup to your drink for extra protection against those winter colds. Mike and I love making cocktails with tea and have been experimenting with warming cocktails such as a warm buttered rum tea spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. If rum is not your thing then try a hot cider with chamomile tea and dried apple instead.
The Scent of Loose Leaf Tea
Our bakes have changed a lot with the colder weather. I’ve been baking a lot of puddings such as sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce, jam roly-poly and marmalade cake, which all go really well with a lovely pot of loose leaf tea. In the winter, I’m all for a reliable English breakfast tea with sweet food whereas in the summer I’m happy to experiment with more floral teas such as Earl Grey and chamomile because they are thirst-quenching. In the winter, I want a tea latte such as London Fog or a chai latte with spices to keep my throat and chest warm. I’ve added some recipes below if you want to give them a try.
The Chink of Vintage Crockery and Glasses
Most of all, having a cozy afternoon tea in winter gives you something to look forward to and when you add in some beautiful vintage china and glasses and tea cosies on the teapots, there is so much to feel joyful about. Surrounding yourself with friends and gentle chatter gives you an opportunity to remember that relationships and companionship are the best Christmas presents you can offer. I'm always being told off by my family for chatting too much to the customers but that's part of the service. If you're lonely, come along and have a cup of tea with us or book a tea party as an opportunity to meet up with those you love most.
Until next time
We hope to see you at our last market of the year on Saturday. We’ll be at Ripley Farmer’s Market on 13th December between 9 and 1 with Christmas cakes, British puddings and our very popular cranberry and orange scones. After that, we’re taking a break in January to fix the caravan floor, pay our tax and make some plans for next year. Let us know here if you’re planning a celebration as our books are open for 2026.
Bonus recipes
Hot buttered rum tea cocktail
1 cup of spiced black tea – we used chai but a lighter tea such as English Breakfast would probably be better
2 oz dark rum
4oz unsalted butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or homemade rum syrup
½ cup light brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground allspice
Cinnamon stick and orange twist for garnish
1. Make a pot of black tea and steep for two minutes or to taste.
2. Combine butter, sugar, vanilla and spices with a hand mixer until well combined.
3. Add rum and two tablespoons of the spice mix to a heatproof glass or teacup.
4. Top up with the brewed hot tea and stir until all the ingredients are well mixed.
5. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and curl the orange twist over the rim of the cup.
London Fog (Tea Latte)
1 Earl Grey teabag – we use 1 teaspoon of Early Grey loose leaf tea from Tealicious in a compostable teabag. Adjust the measurements to taste if you don’t like strong tea.
½ cup hot water
½ cup unsweeted milk – we use almond milk as we love the nutty flavour when it’s warmed
¼ vanilla extract
1-2 tsp raw honey or maple syrup or a homemade syrup
1. Steep your tea leaves in a pot for 3-5 minutes depending on your preference
2. Mix together the milk and vanilla extract and steam if you can or warm and froth with a frother
3. Add the sweetener to the steeped tea and top with frothed milk
Sit back, relax and enjoy x
